


Build a Bridge, then Burn it Down

by sodaschemes



Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Episode: s03e21 The Life and Crimes of Scrooge McDuck!, Nightmares, Panic Attacks, Past Abuse, Post Episode: s03e21 The Life and Crimes of Scrooge McDuck!, Spoilers, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 18:20:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29937462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sodaschemes/pseuds/sodaschemes
Summary: He tried not to think about the kidnapping. The umbrella. The party.More tears came, and he dried them just as fast.“Calm down,” he whispered angrily to himself. “You’refine.”
Comments: 6
Kudos: 46





	Build a Bridge, then Burn it Down

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cookies_loves_duckies](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cookies_loves_duckies/gifts).



> I hated. HATED. That they had Louie apologize to Doofus. I'll definitely be covering this topic more in-depth in the future, but for now, have this short ficlet I busted out.

Louie shut his bedroom door behind him, sitting carefully on the edge of his bed and folding his hands in his lap.

He didn’t want to think about a single moment from the hours he’d spent in that courtroom.

Except maybe for when he’d  _ apologized _ to Doofus, because that was… that was what he was supposed to do. It was all done and over with. Yeah.

Inexplicably, his grip on his clasped hands was tight enough to bruise.

It was all  _ fine _ , and he could relax, he could… god.

Frantic, he wiped at the tears pooling in his eyes. He needed to get ahold of himself. He’d done the mature thing and taken responsibility, and Scrooge was  _ proud _ of him (for once). 

He tried not to think about the kidnapping. The umbrella. The party.

More tears came, and he dried them just as fast.

“Calm down,” he whispered angrily to himself. “You’re  _ fine _ .”

Doofus had forgiven him.  _ Was that what he had wanted? _

Of course it was, he’d… he’d hurt him. Louie had both tried to rob him and indirectly forced him to give up his fortune. That was wrong of him.

So  _ why _ couldn’t he stop crying? 

Was it because of how close Doofus had gotten during the trial, how violated he had felt?

Was it because Scrooge had clearly noticed his discomfort and hadn’t even  _ said _ anything? 

No, Scrooge didn’t even know about what had gone down between Louie and Doofus in the past. How could he have known how sickeningly terrified he had been? Even the people who  _ did _ know didn’t seem to  ~~ care ~~ know how  _ bad  _ it was. He should have been used to it.

He glared into the empty space ahead of him.

“Calm  _ down _ ,” he repeated, his voice quivering.

They’d won the trial. Doofus had literally just… given up. Forgiven Louie and given up.

It still felt like Louie had lost.

But the fortune was fine, and they were home, and Scrooge was downstairs, probably telling everyone about it. He hoped he left out the parts with… well. The parts.

This wasn’t helping him to breathe any easier. He couldn’t do anything to stop the hyperventilation, his throat going cold. Pins and needles sprouted in his face, punishment for the lack of air.

He laid down on his bed, curling up over the blanket. He could have gotten under it, but he didn’t have the energy. It was all focused on the fear, the panic. Even now, safe at home, he felt like he’d opened himself up to a preying monster, ready to pounce.

He just… he needed to breathe.

In and out.

In and out… 

In… and out…

———

He must have drifted off to sleep or something, because the next thing he knew, his throat was raw from screaming, tears streaming from his eyes. His brothers were on either side of him, desperately shaking him even as he finally woke up.

He sat up, and the other two backed away slightly, giving him space.

“What’s wrong?” Dewey was the first to ask, eyes wide with worry.

Louie sniffled, wiping away his tears messily with his sleeve. “It was just a nightmare,” he rasped, trying to push  _ his _ face from his memory. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Huey offered, leaning forward a bit, visibly ready to give support.

Did Louie want to talk about how, even after apologizing to Doofus, he was still scared out of his mind of him? Did he want to talk about how his face frequented his nightmares, but tonight’s had been so much worse?

It had left him feeling so grossly vulnerable, tight and constricting and squeezing the life from Louie so fast that he was sure he might die.

“No,” he whispered, shaking his head.

Uncle Scrooge was proud of him for his actions, and this would only ruin that. This would only ruin  _ everything _ . He just needed to stay quiet and get  _ over _ it.

That was the mature, responsible thing to do.

“You guys wanna watch a movie?” he asked, forcing his voice back to its normal pitch and forcing the  _ fear fear fear _ from his mind. “I saw the  _ good _ popcorn in the pantry.”


End file.
